


Between Pages

by v3risimilitud3



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Angst and Feels, F/M, Mating Bond, book lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-07-07 07:00:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15903243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/v3risimilitud3/pseuds/v3risimilitud3
Summary: Cassian absolutely hates reading, but Nesta is determined to change that passionate perspective.





	Between Pages

Nesta Archeron had a reputation to keep, but at times like these, even she couldn't conceal the mirth that emanated from her. Cassian felt it, her glee a thrill rushing along their glimmering bond, a second before she burst into rich laughter behind him.

His eyes slid from the stew he was stirring to Nesta, who was on her stomach across the couch, basking in the golden glow cast by the autumn sun beyond the window. Before her, an enormous book was parted in the middle, the pages an unblemished, stark white from her unfailing, obsessive care of books. She absentmindedly ran a finger across a corner of the pages with an idiotic grin on her face.

Suddenly interested, Cassian quickly covered the pot and stalked towards the burgundy couch, nudging Nesta to sit up with his broad, membranous wings and plopping down to curl beside her, grinning as her steel-grey eyes lit up with the brilliance of diamonds.

"Well?" He gave Nesta a quick kiss before poking her. "Tell me what happened so I can stop judging you."

Nesta only scrunched her nose. "Or maybe consider reading the book?"

"I could. . ." Cassian said slowly, stretching an arm around her back, red siphons blazing in the sunlight. "But unlike some people, I don't have the luxury of that much spare time."

"You could've," She retorted, resting her head against his shoulder. "If you didn't spend two hours every morning pampering yourself. It's your loss."

"It's hard tie up wet hair." He shrugged, fighting to keep his mouth a straight line. That, and other things.

"Mother save you." Nesta shook her head as she opened the leather-bound book again. "No wonder you're getting split ends." At that, Cassian did his best not to look offended. He did, after all, have more than five hundred years of experience.

"I'm sure there are other factors, love." He said, peeking over Nesta's golden-brown head to view the book she was reading. At once, Cassian immediately realized the familiarity of the two intertwining ribbons that graced the corner of the new chapter page.

"Mother's tits." Cassian leaned back. He didn't like reading, but he did make the habit to pay attention to the non-literary aspects of Nesta's books. "What is your obsession with that book?"

"How many sheets of paper do you want me to use in order to answer that question?"

"Nesta, sweetheart," Cassian sighed as she snuggled closer to him. He thought of taking her to meet with the author for her next birthday. "You really need to think of a better ploy to deceive me into reading."

"You know Cass," Nesta drawled, finally looking up at him with a grin before she dropped the book on his face. "You're lucky I still fucking love you."

"I love you more." Cassian pulled the book off his face, an expectant smile blooming, but all that met him was the ghostly, winter air. The hazy light of dawn fell through the window, saving the sickly yellow pages of the book from the awaiting shadows, illuminating the couch that had turned into a dull auburn over the years and emblazing the empty space beside him in lifeless amber.

His heart lurched, becoming a heavy, painful bruise, and as Cassian tried to blink away the watery mist that formed before his eyes, he wondered how his lungs still hadn't collapsed into chaos. He directed his attention towards the book again—her book—as his fingers absentmindedly fidgeted with the blunted edges of its centuries' old pages.

Losing himself again to the same world she had once often visited, experiencing the same lives she had once embodied, falling for the same words that she had once gleefully devoured. At the flick of a new page, the silk ribbons met him, like two lovers in an embrace together to face the new chapter unfolding. Cassian ran a hand through his wet, unruly hair, roughly tearing through the tangles that yanked at his fingers as explosive pain racked his chest.

It reminded him again of an older time, before the bond was cleaved by darkness. He had been so sure he hated reading. But she was right, in the end she did manage to ignite his love for books.

Cassian just wished that it hadn’t taken Nesta to cross into the next world for it to happen.


End file.
